Proteus Airlines Flight 706

Proteus Airlines Flight 706 was a scheduled local flight from Lyon, France to Lorient, France. On July 30, 1998, Flight 706 collided in mid-air with a Cessna 177 light aircraft over Quiberon Bay. This disaster was known as the Quiberon Bay mid-air collision. 

Investigation
The investigation revealed that the Cessna's transponder had not been switched on.

In documentation published by the Aeronautical Information Service in 1997 and 1998 and probably used by the pilot of the Cessna, the use of a transponder while operating under visual flight rules could be interpreted as optional. As a result of the transponder being off, the Cessna was not depicted on the radar screen of the Lorient approach controller and its traffic information could not be relayed to the crew of the Beechcraft.

Following this accident, the BEA recommended that pilots should only cancel instrument flight rules flight plans in cases of necessity.

References

Other websites
 RAPPORT relatif à l'abordage survenu le 30 juillet 1998 en baie de Quiberon (56) entre le Beech 1900D immatriculé F-GSJM exploité par Proteus Airlines et le Cessna 177 immatriculé F-GAJE  - BEA France 


Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Europe
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the 1990s
Category:1998 in France
Category:July events